Caulk Gun a Powerful Weapon Against Intruding Cold, Heat

The winter wind is whistling through bare trees outside. And here you are, snug as can be inside your first home.

Or are you? If you haven’t yet sealed any leaks around your windows or elsewhere, it’s a safe bet that some of that cold air is sneaking into your home – and running up your heating bill. Likewise, summer heat and humidity will seep in through these openings and force your air conditioner to work overtime.

It’s relatively easy to air seal your home with caulk and weather stripping. Here are three simple steps to caulking out cold and heat to increase indoor comfort and reduce energy use and costs.

Step One: Find the Leaks

Before you draw your caulk gun, you must determine where the leaks are. Conduct a search for drafts, even for light glinting through holes. Doors and windows are likely culprits for leaks, but also investigate the basement and attic. You might even consider hiring a professional to conduct a thorough energy assessment of your home.

Step Two: Select Your Caulk – or Sealant

Although many people use the terms “caulk” and “sealant” interchangeably, some caulk and sealant manufacturers differentiate between these two types of products. They market caulk as general-purpose and sealants as higher-performers. According to Franklin International, maker of renowned Titebond wood glues – as well as a full line of adhesives and sealants for building and remodeling homes – sealants typically are designed to stretch more to bridge various materials that shrink and swell at different rates.

One new sealant technology stands out above the others for application ease and performance: Titebond® WeatherMaster™ Sealant. WeatherMaster adheres to most building materials, won’t shrink, fills up to one-inch gaps and is permanently flexible. It comes in more than 200 colors to match existing siding. But no problem if it doesn’t match yours; you can paint all WeatherMaster colors (except translucent) in an hour.

WeatherMaster Sealant is available through Amazon and The Home Depot (special order process only) as well as through Grainger and other outlets serving contractors and facilities maintenance professionals.

Step Three: Apply the Caulk

If the opening you are sealing is at least one-quarter inch wide and one-half inch deep, fill it with a spray foam material before caulking. Then, make sure the area to be caulked is dry and clean of debris, including old caulk and excess foam. For a clean line, border the opening with masking tape before caulking. Hold the caulk gun at a 45° angle to the opening you are filling. Try to fill each crack or gap with a continuous bead, without stopping and starting. You don’t have to reach too far into the toolbox for the best implement to smooth out the bead your – index fingertip is ideal.

You can also use your fingertips to find out much more about air sealing your home EnergySavers.gov, the U.S. Department of Energy’s site on energy management.

4 Comments

Pamela Wallace / March 27, 2012

My home is old and has wooden windows. Over time the caulk around the window panes has cracked and much has falled out. I want to caulk around the window panes so the windows will not fall out. I purchased a cleqr caulk/sealant and a new caulk gun. I am having trouble getting the caulk to come out. I cut a good size hole in the caulk tube, but when I push thr gun’s trigger the caulk barely comes out. I have a reall mess! I plan to let the sealant dry and then try to us a blade scrapper to remove the excess I got on the panes. I have other windows that need caulking, but I want a neat job not a messy one like I have now. The caulk is now drying and I have not begun to scrape. Will scraping it from the window panes compare to scraping paint from the paint. I’m in a real bad situarion. Any help you cvould give me would be wonderful. Thanks! Pamela

Hi Pamela,
It sounds like you’re using clear silicone sealant around your window panes rather than glazing compound that’s made for windows. It comes as either putty in a can or in a caulking tube with a large square tip. Start by removing any of the old putty that’s loose, use a damp cloth to clean off any dust, then prime the wood and allow to dry before applying the new putty. Once the new putty is dry, paint over it. You can see how to go about it in this video http://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/replacing-a-broken-window-pane/
Good luck with your project!